In Memory of Johanna Boeke (November 15, 1937 – June 28, 2026)

We offer our condolences to the family and colleagues of the Rev. Johanna “Jopie” Boeke, who died on June 28, 2026, at the age of 88.

Jopie was born on November 15, 1937, in Assen, the Netherlands, to Marinus Jacobus Baarslag and Wilhelmina Baarslag-Raatsie. Growing up in the German-occupied Netherlands during World War II, she became keenly aware of the fear and uncertainty that surrounded her. Those early childhood experiences instilled in her a profound sense of resilience and purpose, shaping how she viewed the world throughout her life. They taught her that life is precious, fragile, to be lived, and to be loved. She attended Dutch Reformed schools, developed a lifelong interest in the world’s religions, and believed in an inclusive approach to all religions.

Jopie earned her Teacher’s Degree (1958) and Principal’s Degree (1959) from the Teacher’s Seminary in The Hague. She taught elementary and high school in The Hague, from 1959 to 1965. In 1962, she also received certification from the Dutch Government Department of Education to teach English as a Foreign Language. In 1964, while attending the International Association of Religious Freedom (IARF) Congress in The Hague, Jopie met her future husband, the Rev. Dr. Richard Boeke, an American Unitarian Universalist minister. They married in 1965. From 1966 to 1968, Jopie taught at the International Play Group, a United Nations-affiliated school in New York City. She then served as director for a Day Care Center in Florida from 1969 to 1970, before moving to California, where she worked as an instructor and special resource teacher for schools and raised her two daughters.

For more than two decades, Jopie was actively involved with the Unitarian Universalist congregations as a minister’s spouse. During those years, she shared in the work of ministry, often describing herself as a “minister without portfolio”. Although she was not yet ordained, she devoted herself to the life of the church through pastoral care, religious education, and congregational leadership. Over time, she felt called to formalize the ministry she had already been living. She decided to pursue ordination as a UU minister, envisioning ministry as a true partnership with her husband, the Rev. Dr. Richard Boeke. She sought to serve alongside him, complementing his gifts with her talents and embracing the responsibility of offering love, care, and spiritual leadership to an entire congregation. Jopie believed that the Unitarian Unviersalist tradition provided her with an opportunity to serve the world with compassion and help the church fulfill its mission. In 1987, she received her Master of Divinity from Pacific School of Religion in California.

The Rev. Boeke was ordained to the Unitarian Universalist Ministry on October 4, 1987, by The First Unitarian Church of Berkeley and Marin Fellowship of Unitarians. She began her ministry as a chaplain at Chaparral House, a nonprofit intermediate care nursing home in Berkeley, California (1987–1990), before accepting a call as an associate minister at UU Church of Berkeley in Kensington, California, from 1990 to 1994. She shared ministry with her husband, Rev. Richard Boeke, and together they served a 600-member church. She then served as an interim minister at Essex Unitarian Church in London, England (1994–1996). From 1996 to 2000, she served congregations in Horsham and Godalming, England.

The Rev. Boeke was filled with positive energy and communicated with enthusiasm and a deep faith in the Unitarian Universalist tradition. She was active in the broader denomination, serving on the Board of the Starr King School for the Ministry in 1990. She was a member of the Unitarian Universalist Women’s Federation (UUWF), the Ministerial Sisterhood, Unitarian Universalist (MSUU), the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC), and the Unitarian Universalist Ministers Association (UUMA).

Jopie served as a board member of the United Nations Association in St. Petersburg, Florida (1969–1972) and served as treasurer of the U.S. Chapter of the International Association for Religious Freedom (IARF) in 1987 and again in 1990. She was also a member of the Dutch University League, the International Association of Liberal Religious Women (IALRW), and the International Association of Liberal Religion.

She spoke four languages and was honored to become a sought-after officiant for marriages and child dedications throughout the U.S. and Europe, serving couples in their native tongues who appreciated the international perspective she brought to her services. She also delighted in being part of a delegation of Free Churches at Buckingham Palace in 2002 for the presentation of Loyal Addresses to Queen Elizabeth II.

Jopie held on to her Dutch heritage and made the journey to her homeland as often as she could, introducing her husband, children, and grandchildren to the people, places, and customs that shaped her.

Jopie is survived by her daughters, Elinore Boeke (Jeff Ludwig) and Diana Boeke (Amir Abdelmalek); her grandchildren, Zachary Ludwig, Juliana Ludwig, and Alexander Ludwig; and her sister-in-law, Ria Leoni Baarslag. She was preceded in death by her husband, the Rev. Richard F. Boeke, and her brother, Theodoor Baarslag.

A memorial service was held on Thursday, July 16, 2026, at Goodwin House Alexandria, 4800 Fillmore Ave, Alexandria, VA 22311.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to:

• Goodwin Living Foundation, 4800 Fillmore Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22311.
• Culmore Clinic, Post Box 8332, Falls Church, VA 22041

Notes of condolence may be shared online or mailed to Diana Boeke, 4435 Wood Edge Rd., Troy, VA 22974.